Oh my goodness...so disturbing!:mad:
It really never ceases to amaze the complete disregard animals are given!
While I was reading through the that article the first thing that did pop into my mind was "what kind of charges with these people face." It's just such a sad testament to our society that in fact probably be nothing with be done...most likely a slap on the wrist and some kind of fine....

misanthropy

10-15-2003, 11:47 AM

From a Toronto Coalition for AntiCruelty Legislation mailing c15@anticruelty.ca:

According to Senator Fury only cows and "domestic animals" deserve protection under Bill C10(b).

Also, "stakeholders" (i.e. animal-use industries) want a provision where they can claim they *thought* what they were doing was OKAY and that would be that!
These pigs would go totally un-represented under their amendments! It would be WORSE for them than it is now!

The Senate says they can send this back to the House of Commons until they bend to the Senates demands.
WE say we live in a democracy and we DEMAND our representatives be the last word!

Write the Prime Minister and tell him to stop this unprecedented nonsense.

Animal-cruelty charges laid in deaths of thousands of pigs
By JONATHAN FOWLIE
With a report from Canadian Press
Wednesday, October 15, 2003 - Page A10

Seven men connected with an Ontario pig-farming operation have been charged with several counts of animal cruelty and willful neglect after investigators found thousands of dead and dying pigs at several farms throughout the southwest part of the province

Officials from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported yesterday that during a seven-month investigation, they found thousands of piglets in manure tanks, dead piglets being eaten by rodents, and many pigs in such poor condition they had to be euthanized.

What the investigators found is extremely disturbing, Lisa Veit, acting chief executive officer of the Ontario SPCA, said in a written statement yesterday. “Those responsible must be held accountable for what must be considered an animal-welfare disaster.” In April, the SPCA responded to a complaint about conditions at a pig farm in Elgin County, operated by Wood Lynn Farms Limited.

SPCA spokesman Brian Pemberton said yesterday that from what investigators found, “it quickly became apparent that problems could be much more extensive.”

Mr. Pemberton said that as investigators widened their search, they found evidence of animal abuse at four other farms in Ontario operated by the same firm.

Essentially, you name it and there were problems, chief inspector Mike Draper said of the scope of the violations.

“Dead piglets were being eaten by thousands, if not tens of thousands, of rats” said Mr. Draper, who called the probe a harrowing ordeal for many investigators.

At some farms, investigators found heaps of dead pigs behind barns, and decomposing pigs strewn throughout many of the locations, he said.

The farm conditions were so bad that many sows were forced to give birth in crowded barns where new piglets were trampled and eaten by adults, officials reported.

At one farm, investigators even discovered a Wood Lynn Farms contractor attempting to kill a pig by beating it with a metal pipe.

Across the five Wood Lynn farms under investigation, the SPCA reported “generally filthy and wet conditions in many areas, and inadequate food, water and bedding”.

Since August, the SPCA has laid 77 charges in the case. However, last night Mr. Pemberton expressed concern about the possible penalties.

Charges relating to cruelty against all animals except cattle carry a maximum penalty of six months in jail, Mr. Pemberton said. Even though each of the seven men faces multiple charges, Mr. Pemberton said he is concerned that they will be handed minimum penalties, which could mean even less than six months in jail.

Mr. Pemberton said Bill C-10B, allowing tougher penalties for animal abuse, has been bouncing between the House of Commons and the Senate since June.

Mr. Pemberton said he hoped that this case would highlight why that proposed legislation needs greater attention.

The SPCA did not charge Wood Lynn Farms Ltd. because it is bankrupt, but senior employees, including president James Long of London, Ont., have been charged with multiple offences under the Criminal Code of Canada relating to causing unnecessary pain and suffering.